Disclaimer: This article may contain mistakes. It was transposed by AI and has not been independently verified for hallucinations introduced during transfer.
Content/Wiki/Buddhism/Heavenly Happiness.md
From MN 129 Balapanditasutta:
Then the Buddha, picking up a stone the size of his palm, addressed the mendicants, “What do you think, mendicants? Which is bigger: the stone the size of my palm that I’ve picked up, or the Himalayas, the king of mountains?”
“Sir, the stone you’ve picked up is tiny. Compared to the Himalayas, it doesn’t count, it’s not worth a fraction, there’s no comparison.”
“In the same way, compared to the happiness of heaven, the pleasure and happiness experienced by a wheel-turning monarch due to those seven treasures and those four blessings doesn’t even count, it’s not even a fraction, there’s no comparison. (Sujato)
From AN 8.42 Vitthatuposatasutta:
“Sixteen hundred years in the human realm is one day and night for the gods who control what is created by others. Thirty such days make up a month. Twelve such months make up a year. The life span of the gods who control what is created by others is sixteen thousand of these heavenly years {9.216 billion human years}.
It’s possible that some woman or man who has observed the eight-factored sabbath will---when their body breaks up, after death---be reborn in the company of the gods who control what is created by others.
This is what I was referring to when I said: ‘Human kingship is a poor thing compared to the happiness of the gods.’” (Sujato)
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These comparisons give context to heavenly existence. Devas describes the beings, and lifespan of devas considers the duration of those existences.